Selectable temperature mixing valve

ABSTRACT

A selectable temperature mixing valve delivering, from hot and cold water supplies, water at hot, cold and one or more intermediate temperatures in volume set by the degree of actuation of respective pushbutton actuated operators controlling displacement of valving members relative to inlet ports in corresponding valving sections, single ported for hot and cold delivery and double ported for mixed water in each section for intermediate temperature delivery; and in which initial intermediate temperature mixed flow is restricted at a point in the mixed flow path to ensure temperature stability with changing flow rate.

ilnited States atent 1 Botnick Aug. 7, 1973 1 i SELECTABLE TEMPERATUREMIXING VALVE [76] lnventor: Irliu Botnick, 3155 Kersdale Rd Pepper Pike,Ohio 44124 [22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 176,550

[52] US. Cl. 137/606, 137/625.4

[51] F161: 19/00 [58] Field of Search 137/606, 607, 625.4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,348,019 10/1967 Miller etal. 137/607 X 3,468,344

9/1969 Sanford 137/607 X Primary Examiner-Robert G. Nilson AttorneyP. D.Golrick et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A selectable temperature mixing valve delivering, from hotand cold water supplies, water at hot, cold and one or more intermediatetemperatures in volume set by the degree of actuation of respectivepushbutton actuated operators controlling displacement of valvingmembers relative to inlet ports in corresponding valving sections,single ported for hot and cold delivery and double ported for mixedwater in each section for intermediate temperature delivery; and inwhich initial intermediate temperature mixed flow is restricted at apoint in the mixed flow path to ensure temperature stability withchanging flow rate.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEU SHEU 1 [If 3 FIGI .III

62 6| so 54 43 ,54 xi INVENTOR.

IRLIN BOTNICK ATTORNEYS PAIENIEDAUB 1W 3.750.701

INVENTOR.

BYIRLIN BOTNICK -$Mz%/M/ ATTORNEYS SELECTABLE TEMPERATURE MIXING VALVEVarious forms of so-called mixing valves or faucets have been proposedand marketed especially for residential and like uses at kitchen sinks,lavatories, showers and similar environments to deliver water at theusers selection at the cold or hot water supply temperatures orintermediate temperatures, and at a flow rate chosen by the user.

Early mixing faucets comprised essentially hot and cold water valvestructures independently operated by separate handles but jointlydischarging through a common spout. Since such faucets required handlemanipulation to an extent often inconvenient to obtain a desiredtemperature and flow rate, and readily permitted inadvertant setting todeliver water at temperatures uncomfortable if not unsafe for contactwith the human body, there have been developed mixing faucets actuatedby a single hand-operated knob or lever, set by one motion to select adelivered water temperature and by another motion to provide the desiredflow.

Even these more recent single operator faucets have had certain untowardfeatures. For example, except for the extreme cold or hot settings, thetemperature settings are continuously variable for the intermediatetemperature deliveries, a seeming advantage, but actually for most usesand users a disadvantage to the extent that some trial and errorpositioning of the operator is required to obtain a particularfrequently used temperature; while there is yet a notable opportunityfor setting at an uncomfortable or unsafe temperature; and theseuntoward aspects are accentuated for a user unfamiliar with the faucet.Consequently a so-called pushbutton selection type of mixing faucets hasbeen proposed, where a particular pushbutton or knob is actuated foreach of several selectable temperatures, say cold, lukewarm, warm andhot, with at times the flow rate established by the degree of actuation.

However, not only the many forms of single actuator faucets but also thepushbutton faucets have labored under various further disadvantages offunction or structure such as unreliability of settings, complexity ofparts or structure leading to high manufacturing or servicing costs,undue size, short effective life, as well as others.

By the present invention there is provided a unitary mixing faucet inwhich the flow of water from hot and cold supply piping connections toan outlet spout or discharge piping connection is controlled at distinctvalving sections, a hot section and a cold section each having arespective single inlet port, and one or more double-ported intermediateor mixing sections each controlled by a respective operator withdelivery rate established by the operator setting, and with such portsas are separate for each section generally being identical to minimizethe number of parts.

In selective temperature mixing valves or faucets of hitherto proposedtypes, wherein an operator is arranged to permit simultaneous opening ofhot and cold water ports to allow a mixing flow of hot and cold waterand thereby to provide a discharge of water at an intermediatetemperature between the supply temperatures and with increasing operatoractuation an increased discharge, it has been found at times, that insome environments of installation or conditions of operation entirelyapart from that temperature variation to be expected in mostinstallations due to supply line dead water which has beenenvironmentally warmed or chilled to temperatures other than the nominalhot and cold water supply temperatures there is frequently a notabledischarge temperature variation with valve actuation from a low flowthrough to a high flow point. Though it will not be attempted to assertwhat is the full explanation of this problem, it seems that in somedegree it is due to some flow or pressure instability originating in thevalve and perhaps reflected in the lines or conversely, when both hotand cold ports are suddenly opened approximately simultaneously.

However, it has been found that by automatically initially restrictingthe flow from such simultaneously open ports by reducing the flow areafrom the nominal operating area at a point in the joint or mixed flowpath down stream from the ports, at the beginning of a valve actuatingmotion, with a restraint to establish if only fleetingly an incipientmerely trickle" flow, and thereafter opening the flow path substantiallyto its full operating flow area with the total actual flow then normallycontrolled by the displacement of the valve member relative to theports, an effective useful stabilization of the mixed flow dischargetemperature is attained. By this expedient, from a low flow on throughto a maximum high flow setting and in the reverse change of setting inpractical sense very little temperature change is encountered, or in anyevent a temperature change so small as to be quite unobjectionable forthe practical purposes for which such mixing valves are intended, forexample in domestic lavatory or kitchen sinks, and even showers.

The desirability, of temperature stability throughout the flow range ofa mixing valve when operated for a supposedly selected intermediatetemperature, should be immediately obvious for any uses in residential,commercial, public or industrial environments, where people use themixed flow water for washing or other purposes contacting the humanbody.

This aspect of a valve of the present invention of course can notameliorate such temperature variability as might be due to dead water inthe supply lines or due to marked relative changes in the supplypressures.

Also even in valve applications where body contact is not anticipated,but where a controllable rate of a mixed intermediate temperature flowof water or other liquid from hot and cold sources is used for otherpurposes, or where liquids of distinct characteristics, physical orcompositional, are to be mixed to obtain an intermediate characteristic,a valve in accordance with the invention may at times be advantageouslyused, as in certain industrial environments.

Hereinafter there is described in detail a selectable temperature mixingvalve embodying the above described advantageous features, in aparticular form as adapted for domestic sink, lavatory or shower use,from which hot water, cold water, and the two different presettableintermediate temperatures are obtainable by operation of a correspondingoperator, with the flow rate dependant upon the degree or extent of apushbutton-like operator actuation, and in which appear other novelfeatures, advantageous from the view points of simplicity, durability,ease of service, and as well simplicity and low cost of fabrication forthe structure and functions attained.

More particularly, the valve is comprised principally of a relativelysimple body casting requiring little critical machining; a simplesub-assembly insertable into the body to provide the co-operatingvalving members and seats; an operator support with all primary operatorelements thereon as another simple sub-assembly; and an elastomeric bootor sleeve interposed as a seal and diaphragm between the body andsupport with the latter providing also a top or cover platescrew-secured to the body.

It is the general object then of the present invention to provide animproved mixing valve especially useful for residential and like uses.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a temperatureselectable mixing valve of the general type described wherein forsubstantially constant supply temperatures of hot and cold water, uponoperator actuation for a pre-set desired temperature, the temperature ofthe mixed discharge will be stabilized and substantially constant,throughout a flow range up to a maximum obtainable by setting of theoperator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a temperatureselectable mixing valve delivering hot water, cold water andintermediate temperature water and having a durable and low costconstruction and requiring a relatively small number of parts for thecharacteristics and functions achieved.

Another object is to provide a valve of the type described wherein thevalving surfaces and co-operating elements are incorporated in a simplesub-assembly easily installed in the valve body.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionand the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a multiple, pushbutton operated selectable temperaturemixing valve in accordance with the present invention, with certainoperator elements ornitted for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken at the line 22 in FIG. I,and showing in fragmentary form, the operative relation of elements at ahot or cold water controlling section;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 taken as indicated by the line 3-3 inFIG. I, at an intermediate temperature controlling section of the flowvalve;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a valving member cage;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are bottom and elevational views respectively of diaphragmand gasket members.

In the drawings the present invention is shown as embodied in aselectable temperature mixing valve whereby from hot and cold watersupply lines of respective nominal temperatures there may be deliveredunmixed hot water, unmixed cold water, and water of two distinctintermediate temperatures termed lukewarm and warm, each by actuation ofa respective operator and at a volume rate or flow depending upon thedegree of operator actuation.

GENERAL COMBINATION As principal components the valve in the drawingscomprises a hollow valve body casting B having external connectionformations for piping; namely, a discharge connection from the bodycavity for a spout or discharge pipe dp, and also connections for thehot and cold water supply piping sp, from which along one side walllongitudinal passages run to respective sets of three inlets openinginto the cavity through and along the finished longitudinal flatvertical inside wall inlet face 11 for controlled ports to be described;temperature pre-setting metering plug valve elements T in boresintersecting the longitudinal passages; an operator support element Lfor parallel vertical pistons P respectively camming slide members 8laterally relative to respective corresponding stemmed valving membersM, contained with ported valving seat elements V, in valving chambers ofa cage K which, for sealing the seats V at the respective cavity inletareas of the inlet face, also encloses a molded unitary elastomericgasket G; a molded elastomeric boot element E between the cavity wallsand the intra-cavity portion 12 of support L as a diaphragm between theoperators and discharge flow space, and top-flanged as a seal for anintegral horizontal plate-like support portion 13 as a cover bolted toand closing off the body cavity open top and also securing cage K. Thesupport L with valve section operating mechanisms includingpushbutton-swung rocker arms R, pistons P and slides S; and the cage Kwith the valving members M, seats V and gasket G constitute twoprincipal sub-assemblies to be brought together with the boot E and bodyB in final valve assembly.

Here the support element, the slides, the bodies of the intermediatesection valving members, the metering valve plugs, and the cage areformed of molded plastic such as Celcon; while pistons, knobs,pushbutton pads Pp, and the operator rocker arm levers may aptly bemolded plastic such as Nylon. The port or seat disks V and the valvemembers M or facings thereof are, for example, made of alumina as asuitable hard ceramic material.

Though body casting B, the cage K, the actuator support L, theelastomeric boot E and the seal gasket G are respective unitarystructures, parts of these and of the valve as a whole are hereinafterdescribed and spoken of in terms of four sections, that is, from theleft in FIG.

1, hot (H) section, two mixing or intermediate temperature sections,namely, warm (W) and lukewarm (LW) sections,. and cold (C) section,since the structures there localized control discharge of water atdistinct temperatures.

BODY CASTING AND SETTING PLUGS The above mentioned inlets, providingsubstantially equal total flow capacity to each section, open throughthe milled body inlet face 11 at a cage-receiving seat further definedby the flat body top surface, endwise by vertical grooves 14, and at thebottom by a milled horizontal shoulder 15 spaced below the top by theheight of the cage K; and are symmetrically located on or (in the caseof the intermediate temperature sections with paired ports) about ahorizontal centerplane between the top and shoulder, as indicated inFIG. 6 by the positions of the correspondingly located and like-numberedport apertures of the gasket G. In one long body side, from the hotwater supply connection one branching internal flow passage 16 opens tothe cavity through a single inlet 17 of the hot section ported area, andalso runs to the hot water inlets 17 in the ported areas in the mixingsections; while similarly from the cold water supply connection aparallel branching passage 18 opens directly to the single inlet of thecold section and then runs to the cold water inlets 19 of the two mixingsections.

To receive the respective plug T, at the vertical transverse centerplaneof each mixing section, a counterbored vertical bore from the body topintersects the hot and cold water passages 16, 18, and also therespective branching inlets 17, 19 to the section. Each plug,

grooved for top, bottom and intermediate O-rings sealing to the bore anddefining therebetween distinct vaned valving portions, is retained by anapertured cover portion fitting on the reduced shouldered plug upperend, in which a polygonal socket may receive an adjusting tool, or ashere shown, the mating shank of a removable slotted knob N forconvenient adjustment manually or by a screwdriver. To affordlongitudinal passage continuity, at the two inlet levels the plug is cutaway to leave like, nearly sector-shaped valving vanes 20.

With the bore diameters larger than the horizontal passage widths, thebore axis offset inwardly from the center plane of the passages, and thesectors just completely angularly offset from each other, plug rotationwithin setting range shifts the two vanes to change the respective inletflow areas in opposite senses, maintaining a substantially equal totalinlet flow capacity to the section; while the proportion of hot to coldflow is changed by the oppositely changing extent of the inlet areaocculusions. Thus the total flow area to a mixing section may be keptequal to that at the hot or cold section; and by the different settingsof the two plugs, the two intermediate water temperatures are obtainablethough the plugs are identical.

On the cavity wall opposite the respective inlet regions, flatdownwardly inwardly sloping surface formations 21 are provided forpurposes to be described; and the top periphery has conventionalexternal threaded apertured lugs for screws securing the cover and adecorative enclosure as at D in FIG. 3.

OPERATOR SUB-ASSEMBLY AND BOOT The respective valving operatingstructures from the finger contacting pad or pushbutton Pp through tothe slide member S are identical in all sections.

The support L integrally includes, as it were intersecting andprojecting beyond the body cover portion 13 as well as dependent intothe cavity, the elongated vertical part 12 having respective bores (hererectangular in cross-section) reciprocably supporting the four likecorrespondingly rectangular pistons P, each bottom end tapered forcooperatively cammingly engaging the sloped back face of a supportedrespective slide member S, in turn through mediation of the diaphragmprovided by boot E, engaging the stem end of a respective valving memberM.

Each slide member S, rectangular in cross-section, is slideably guidedin a correspondingly shaped aperture as a slideway at right anglesintersecting the vertical piston bore; for each piston the support Lalso mounts a respective piston shifting rocker arm type lever structureR pivotally supported by integral top formations 23 defining a guideslot for a lower arm 24 of the rocker; the rockers being pivoted on acommon pivot shaft 25 through these several top formations. An opening26 in the piston projecting top end receives a rounded end enlargementof the lower arm. The rocker upper arm 27 includes a removable snap-onfinger contact pad Pp of pushbutton-like form, which moved forward andbackwardly, to the left and to the right in FIG. 3. raises and depressesthe piston respectively to turn the water flow from the section on oroff; lateral integral pin formations 29 on the upper arm beingengageable with top formations of the support as stop means.

The boot member E is of any appropriate water impermeable and durableelastomeric material of suitable hardness, for which many are now wellknown to the art, such as a Buna-n or a Neoprene.

Within the locus of cover screw apertures, the cover bottom face has acontinuous closed peripheral groove receiving an upward peripheral bead30 on boot flange 31, opposite which is a smaller casting top engagingbead 32 on the flange lower surface, which are effective to secure theclamped boot flange in a good mechanical and sealing engagement betweenthe cover and body, as the lower bead flattened in clamping forces thetop bead upwardly. In the elongated cupped or trough-like dependingportion 33 of the boot as a closed sleeve surrounding the intra-cavitydependent part of the operator support and sub-assembly, a flat bottomwall and a generally vertical elongated side wall (right wall in FIGS. 2and 3) engage or generally conform to the bottom and right side of thesupport; the right wall beneath the flange having outwardly convex anddownwardly tapering formations 35 corresponding in slope to each bodyslope formation 21; while the opposite or left elongated vertical wallis offset outwardly away from its engagement with the laterallyapertured side of the support, in vertical panels 36 of greater widththan the slide members, which panels on the common level of the slidesare thickened to external valving member engaging pads 37 38, square inoutline at the two end sections and circular at the intermediatesections; the circular pads further having concentric flat-faced ringformations 39 thereon for later named functions. Otherwise generally theboot sleeve is spaced from surrounding walls.

Just beneath the support top plate portion 13, its left longitudinalvertical face 41 is provided at the end and middle regions with shortdownwardly diminishing tapered wedging ribs or lugs 42 which co-operatewith the similarly located uppermost set of short wedging ribs 43 on thecage through the mediation of accomodating boot formations 44. Thesetaper forma-' tions to some degree aid in locating and stabilizing theboot left vertical wall spaced between the cage and the support L, asshown in FIG. 2 and 3, to afford inward and outward flexing operatingfreedom as well as discharge flow space, away from any of the sectionoutlets to the discharge outlet opening from the body casing cavity, towhich the spacing between the panels 36 contributes, in addition to thaton the bottom and at the other side of the boot and support.

Further, outward laterally from each piston bore and on the rightsupport vertical face, there is an integral downwardly diminishingtapering lateral enlargement 45 in form an half-cone, merging upwardlyinto the top plate and downwardly terminating at a point about theopposite the slide operating center line of each respective section, theslope corresponding to the respective body sloped surface at 21, so thatwith a corresponding local outwardly shaped and tapered portion 35 ofthe boot engaged therebetween, the support is mediately braced by thecasting at each section location. When the support element L isscrew-secured as a valve cover plate, there is afforded a local backupor reaction support for the dependent portion 12 in each regionreceiving transverse thrust developed in consequence of operator closingaction driving the valving members into seated relation against therespective ported areas. Moreover, by these sloping cooperating areas ofengagement at each side, the depending support portion is centered.

CAGE AND VALVING ELEMENTS The general structure and operation in thesingleported cold and hot sections are essentially the same; and so alsothe double-ported mixing sections are similar to each other in operationand structure. Hence, only one of each of these two types will bedescribed.

The cage K (FIG. 4) is molded of water resistant plastic as a generallyrectangular elongated plate or block with horizontally rounded ends 51and having in one face 52 shouldered cylindrical smaller end and largermiddle recesses for respective section valving chambers S3 54; the cage,like the gasket G, being symmetrical about a longitudinal horizontalcenter plane, enabling installation in either of the respectivelyend-forend inverted relative positions. For the gasket G may be used anyappropriate water impermeable and durable elastomeric material ofsuitable hardness for which many are now well known to the art, such asBuna-n or a Neoprene.

In every section recess, the primary essential valving structure isprovided by a valving member M having a hrad highly finished flat faceas provided by a ceramic material; a cooperating fixed round seat disk55 or 56 (here termed a disk, though a small hollow cylinder 55 in thesingle-ported hot and cold sections) or like hard material havingtherethrough the port or ports 17 and 19 aligned with the respectivebody inlets l7 and 19 and each having a highly finished working faceagaint which the valving member face seals; and a seal provided by arespective gasket circular section 57 or 58, received in the recessmouth over the seat, sealing the cage and seat to inlet face 11. Thus ineach section, the seat element and the recess bottom apertured for awater outlet 59 or 60 through wall 61 to the body cavity, and henceultimately to the discharge, define a chamber for the respective valvingelement M stemmed for guidance in and projecting from the outletaperture formation.

On the recessed cage face symmetrical with the longitudinal centerplane, shallow slots 62 connect the successively adjacent recesses toaccomodate connecting links 63 between the round gasket sections; andwithin the circular confines of each gasket section the flow opening foreach seat port is inwardly lipped flanged to conform into the rabbetedback face margins of the seat ports for the desired sealing.

For correct positioning of the port disks to the inlets and the valvemembers to the slides, the cage ends engage in the respective verticalgrooves 14 at the opposite body ends only through contact by avertically locating bead 64 integral on each block end while at thecenter and just inward of opposite ends on the block face 6H there areprovided three pairs of the vertically aligned integral wedge ribformations 43, rising toward the plate centerline, at which the top seatof three as previously described cooperate with ribs 42. Through theboot top flange 31 the cover plate 13 bearing against the cage top edgeface clamps the cage against inlet face 11 and shoulder in the body seatstructure.

At each hot and cold water recess in effect there is a round bore inwardfrom the mouth with four equispaced stepped bore wall lugs 66 beginninghalf-way down the bore to provide first the shoulder formations engagedby the seat and arcuately surfaced steps to guide and engage the axiallyshiftable valve member body and stem with flow spaces thereabout; andsimple like ceramic valving members are used involving integralcylindrical head and stem portions. Thus water flow space is providedfrom the port across the face and around the edge of the valving memberhead and through outlet space widened between the lug formations out tothe cavity space between hoot, casting body and cage.

At each mixing section recess bore 54, larger in diameter than thenon-mixing sections, the shouldered mouth accommodates a seat disk 56having like port apertures vertically spaced corresponding to theinlets, and to ensure port and inlet alignment, edge notched to engagewith a locating projection at the recess shoulder; and the outlet 60 inits bottom or end wall is a short concentric cylindrical apertureserving as a guide for and cooperating with a special longitudinallygrooved stem formation 67 of the valving member body for purposeshereinafter explained. The respective valving member M comprises amolded body, with a recessed head portion 68 for ceramic valving facedisk 69 bonded therein, and integral with the stem slideable in, andagain projecting through, the guiding aperture of the cage back wall;but the head circumference has many equi-spaced notches 70 providingflow space past the head and defining therebetween guide lugs slideableon the recess bore. A plurality of radial ribs 71 on the end wall insideface of the mixing recess, as stops for the head, maintain flow space tothe outlet. However, seat members (55,56) could be durable plastic andall valve members M have ru ber seal facing disks therein after thefashion of disk 69 in the valve member head at 68.

importantly, at each mixing section, the cage wall face 61 has a narrowshallow radial trickle groove or slot 73 which could be formed in ring39 but here extending outwardly (downwardly in FIG. 3, the soleasymmetry of the cage) beyond the outer periphery of the ring formation39 surrounding the area of boot pad contact with the respective valvingstem end. The longitudinal thin webs 74 left between the stem slots asguide bearing surfaces are thinner than the trickel slot width to ensureagainst blockage, permitting each mixing section valve member to berotationally free.

It will be observed in FIG. 3, showing a mixing section valving as inthe closed condition, that not only is the valving member face 69 insealing engagement with the ported area of the seal element V, thuscutting off all water flow, but also by virtue of the outwarddisplacement of the slide member S, the respective external integralring 39 of the diaphragm is pressed against the flat cage face 61 aboutthe stem guiding water outlet aperture 60 of the section. This region ofthe elastomeric material is compressed to a fair degree holding such aseal aided in effect by the general pad thickening and the slide endoverlapping slightly the location of the inner margin of the ring 39. Itwill also be observed that the outermost ends of the stem slots arelocated just slightly to the right of the cage face 61 or at leastbeyond the bottom of the trickle flow groove 73.

By the resilient engagement effected between the re spectivepiston-operated slide and the valving member stem through theabove-described boot pad formation, it has been found that the actuatingoperator system will maintain a manually effected setting including aswell the closed position.

OPERATION The pushbutton temperature selection and operation should beobvious, as giving at each actuated section a discharge flow which isdependent upon the supply line pressure displacement allowed to thevalving member and slide following the receding cam slope of the raisedpiston. By simultaneous operation of more than one section othertemperatures are available.

However, at a mixing section upon the beginning of a valve openingoperation, that is, upon a slight ascension of the piston, thereforereleasing somewhat slide pressure against the resilient and stressedboot material bearing on the valving member stern, a very slight openingshift under supply line pressure is permitted to the valve member,allowing a very slight initial water flow from both parts which escapesthrough the mixed flow path restriction at the slot; any greater flowbeing impeded by the contact of the ring with the opposed cage face forall other areas. Accordingly a very slight but controlled mixed initialflow, a trickle flow, is automatically established at the very begiqningof every release of the valve member from fully closed position.

Continued operator movement allows the ring to displace outwardly withrecession of the slide and accordingly an increased flow ultimatelydetermined by the final position of the valve face relative to the seatjust as in a non-mixing section.

Also the arrangement allowing trickle flow from the valve chamber, henceultimately a visible valve drop discharge calling for complete closing,ensures that there will be no hot-cold suppl by-pass at a mixing sectionwhich otherwise would result in the event that an operator is not pushedto a completely closed condition.

Thus with relative flow areas available to the hot and the cold waterport at each of the two intermediate sections being proportioned by thesetting of the respective metering valve plug member, and these plugsgiven different pre-settings, for such two distinct temperatures as maybe desired, any of the four temperatures may be selected for a waterdelivery by actuation of the respective operator: hot, cold, and twotemperature intermediate the cold water and the hot water supplytemperatures, thus affording a cold, lukewarm, warm, and hot waterchoice availability with the valve of this type, with flow determined bythe extent of actuation of the selected operator.

In assembly, after brazing in supply and sicharge piping elements wherebrazed connections are used, the setting plugs with O-rings are insertedin their bores. The pistons are inserted in the support, then the rockerarms engaged therewith are secured by insertion of the pivot shaft.Thereafter the slides are inserted in their support apertures tocomplete a sub-assembly, to which may immediately be applied the bootthen serving to retain the slides. The valving members, seat disks andgasket having been installed in the cage, the latter as a sub-sssemblyis located in its body cavity seat structure, and the support-bornesub-assembly with boot is installed, and screw-secured to the bodylocating the various elements by the structure previously described andsecuring the plugs. The knobs for the latter is used and the pushbuttonsare usually applied after the valve as a whole is installed in its uselocation, since generally a decorative housing and bracket are thenassembled, through apertures of which the upper arms of the rockers andthe knobs extend, so that the buttons on knobs are then finallyassembled.

Obviously if more or less than two intermediate temperatures are to beavailable either a single intermediate section or more than two suchsections would be incorporated with apporpriate changes including achanged number of plug members; or the valve may be modified to deliveonly one or neither supply temperature but with a plurality of distinctintermediate temperatures.

For the purposes achieved only a relatively simple, say brass, castingis required for a valve in accordance with the invention, with at mostsimple machining operations to be carried out, and those only on thecasting, namely for the external piping connections, either sizing forbrazed connections or by threading, and for sizing the plug receivingbores; a simple milling of the inlet face, the bottom shoulder and theend grooves for the cage seat in the cavity in one operation; millingthe top surface of the body casting; drilling or threading of castinglug apertures for the support securing screws and mounting screws;possibly machining mounting bracket engagements; and if desired tosimplify the coring required in the production of the casting, boring ofthe long internal passages with corresponding threading and plugging.

The valve here described obviously is adapted for use in manyenvironments, with appropriate casing or sup porting structures. Thesupply connection points and discharge points may be otherwise arranged,though here shown as on the casting bottom as is particularly suitablefor valve mounting entirely atop a sink with flexible piping carriedthrough a hollow stem of a support bracket, or a casing hollow stempenetrating the sink top. The valve is readily adjusted or serviced,should need arise, by virtue of the disclosed structure andsub-assemblies.

1 claim:

1. A valving arrangement for stabilizing and controlling the flow ofwater from hot and cold water passages respectively to a mixed flow pathproviding a water discharge at a temperature intermediate that of thesupplied cold and hot water, in a discharge rate varied in a response tothe setting of a single valve operator moved from a valve closedposition to a full valve open position, comprising:

a controlled hot water port and a controlled cold water portrespectively opening to a said mixed flow path,

valve operator means moveable between valve closed and valve openpositions,

valving means moveable relative to said ports between a position closingsaid ports and a full open position and simultaneously opening andincreasing the opening of said ports in response to movement of saidoperator means,

means downstream of said ports on the mixed flow path and controlled bysaid valve operator means reducing the flow area of the mixed flow pathto a trickle flow area when the valve operator is in full closedposition and maintaining said reduced flow area upon an initial slightvalve opening movement of said operator means as said valve operatoropens both said ports for an initial trickle flow through said reducedarea, and thereupon with further operator motion opens said mixed flowpath to tis normal operating maximum flow area,

whereby the flow of hot and a cold water from respective ports isstabilized in relative flow ratio and hence in a temperature of mixedflow discharge with increasing total discharge flow and any subse quentreturn to a decreased flow by corresponding operator displacement.

2. A valving arrangement as described in claim 1 wherein:

said ports open through adjacent valve seat areas in a valving chamberas the beginning of the mixed flow path, said valving means including avalving member having a surface shiftable from and toward both saidports simultaneously and providing an increase in the flow as the membermoves away from said ports,

said valve member on the side opposite the port sealing face having astem extending longitudinally of said chamber and through a guideaperture in a valving chamber end wall,

the said stem longitudinally recessed leaving water flow space from oneside to the other of said end wall at said aperture as a water outletfrom the valving chamber,

said operator means including a slide member bearing against theprojecting end of said stem mediately through an elastomeric diaphragmportion engaged therebetween,

said diaphragm having an integral annular formation facing said end wallradially spaced from said stem and adapted to make sealing contact withthe outer wall face when the valve member, slide member and valveactuator are in full closed position.

a narrow shallow groove running in said outer face radially outwardlyfrom said aperture beyond said annular formation thereby to afford saidrestriction in the mixed flow path,

said formation and elastomeric diaphragm portion structured to maintainsaid sealing contact restricting the mixed flow to the area of saidgroove through an initial slight valve opening movement of said slidemember away from the wall face to permit a slight simultaneous initialopening of both said ports with flow therefrom, and thereafter, with thecontinuing operator slide member opening motion, retracted with the saidslide and valve members away from said wall to remove said flowrestirction.

3. A mixing type water valve for controlled volume delivery selectivelyof hot water and cold water at respective supply temperatures and mixedwater at at least one preset intermediate temperature, comprising:

a hollow casing including an open-topped] hollow body having a cavitywith a discharge and a cover member secured to and closing the body top,said body having cold and hot water supplyconnected passages openinginto the body cavity as a cavity longitudinal inlet face respectivelythrough at least two lateral cold inlets and through at least twolateral hot water inlets, said inlets disposed with a first hot inletand a first cold inlet as paired inlets closely associated in openingthrough the inlet face for a double ported area of a mixed flowintermediate temperature valve section, a second hot inlet and a sec-0nd cold inlet opening through the inlet face at locationslongitudinally spaced from each other and from the pair inlet locationfor single ported areas of respective hot and cold valve sections, saidlateral inlet face and an associated shoulder forming a seat in thecavity; said top providing operator support means extending into thebody cavity; cage block means having, opening in one longitudinal b ockface, a recess aligned with the double ported area and recesses alignedrespectively with said single ported areas forming respective valvingchambers gasketed to the said areas and having outlet openings in theopposite longitudinal block face, an axially moveable valving member ineach chamber having a stern projecting from the respective outlet andhaving a face shiftable toward and away from the respective port area invalving section closing and opening action, said cage and with thevalving members therein forming a sub-assembly; an elastic resilientfluid-impervious diaphragm member surrounding said support means withinand sealed to the body to define fluid flow space within the cavitybetween said outlets of the cage and said discharge and to seal saidsupport means off from water in the valve; said cage and said supportmeans having cooperating surfaces engageable mediately through saiddiaphragm member to secure said cage subassembly in said seat uponsecurement of said top to the body; respective valve operating meanscontrolling the valving members for controlled delivery of hot water,for controlled delivery of cold water, and for controlled delivery ofmixed hot and cold water as intermediate temperature water, fromrespective valving sections, each said valve operating means including aslide movable in a slideway aperture in said support means in onedirection to communicate motion and force through said diaphragm to thestem of the respective movable member to move the latter toward and holdit in valve closed position against fluid pressure at the respectiveport area and moveable in the opposite direction for valve opening. 4. Avalve as described in claim 3, wherein: each said recess has ashouldered mouth at said one block face, and the cage sub-assemblyincludes respective shoulder-supported hard disk elements within themouths and apertured for the respective inlets each as a ported chamberend wall surfacefinished highly flat and smooth, and each said moveablevalving member is provided with a face element of hard material disposedtoward the respective said disk and surface-finished highly flat andsmooth. 5. A valve as described in claim 4, wherein: said elements arecomprised of a hard ceramic material. 6. A valve as described in claim3, wherein: said support is integrally formed on, and depends into thebody cavity from the innerside of, said cover member; said supporthaving for said slides respective said slideways opening through oneside toward and in alignment with respective valving member stems, andbores intersecting the respective slideways and opening through thecover, and receiving respective pistons cammingly cooperatively engagingthe slides; said diaphragm member comprising an elastomeric memberhaving a hollow body portion surrounding the depending said support andhaving a peripherally continous laterally flanged portion sealinglyengaged between the cover and the casing body; each said piston membermoveable in its bore for camming the respective slide outwardly againstthe diaphragm thereby to move the respective valving member towardclosed position. 7. A valve as described in claim 3, wherein: saidpassages, at locations immediately before said paired inlets, areintersected by a plug-receiving bore, and a plug in the latter bore toform flow throttling intermediate temperature regulating adjustablevalve means, said plug having formed therein vaned portions simultaneouschanging in opposite sneses the effective flow areas to the pairedinlets upon plug rotational adjustment.

8. A valve as described in claim 3, wherein:

said diaphragm member includes a respective integrally thickenedexternal pad region between each slide and the stem of the opposedvalving member.

9. A valve as described in claim 8, wherein:

the pad at the mixing section of the valve bears an integral ringformation concentrically spaced from the stem of the respective valvemember and, when the valving member is in closed position, making asealing contact with the adjacent second said block face around arespective cage chamber outlet aperture serving also as a guide for thelast said stem,

a shallow narrow slot in the second said block face running from saidoutlet out under and beyond the ring formation permitting a slight flowduring said sealing contact, and

said ring formation maintaining said contact upon initial valving memberopening for a slight mixed flow.

3 UNITED STATES PATENT omen CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.307501701 Dated Issued: August 7, 1973 Inventofls) IRLIN BOTNICK It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

(Fol. 3, line 60, "connection from" should read --connection Y port (10)from--.

Col. 7, line 2.6, "disk 55 or 56" should read --disk V,55 or V,56-; vline. 41.12, "recessed cage face symmetrical with the" should read--recessed face of the cage and symmetrical with its--; a line 52, for"vertically" read --vertical-'-.

Col. 8, line 5, after "portions. Thus" should read --portions 69a, 67a.Thuslines 9-10., "hoot, casting body and cage." should read -boot E,casting body B and cage K.-; line 34, "therein" should read -thereon.

Col. 11, line 1, "tie" should read --its--;

lines 65-66, "double ported" should read --double-ported.

Col. 12, line 3; "pair" should read -paired----:

same line, "single ported" should read -single-ported-; line 10, "b ock"should read -block-; same line, "double ported" should read--double-portedlines 11-12, "single ported" should read--single-ported--.

Col. 13, line 20, "flow throttling" should read -flow throttling--; line23, "sneses" should'read senses. '-Col. 14, line 8, "pad at" should readpad region at".

' Signed and sealed this 17th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. 7 c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofFatehts

1. A valving arrangement for stabilizing and controlling the flow ofwater from hot and cold water passages respectively to a mixed flow pathproviding a water discharge at a temperature intermediate that of thesupplied cold and hot water, in a discharge rate varied in a response tothe setting of a single valve operator moved from a valve closedposition to a full valve open position, comprising: a controlled hotwater port and a controlled cold water port respectively opening to asaid mixed flow path, valve operator means moveable between valve closedand valve open positions, valving means moveable relative to said portsbetween a position closing said ports and a full open position andsimultaneously opening and increasing the opening of said ports inresponse to movement of said operator means, means downstream of saidports on the mixed flow path and controlled by said valve operator meansreducing the flow area of the mixed flow path to a trickle flow areawhen the valve operator is in full closed position and maintaining saidreduced flow area upon an initial slight valve opening movement of saidoperator means as said valve operator opens both said ports for aninitial trickle flow through said reduced area, and thereupon withfurther operator motion opens said mixed flow path to its normaloperating maximum flow area, whereby the flow of hot and a cold waterfrom respective ports is stabilized in relative flow ratio and hence ina temperature of mixed flow discharge with increasing total dischargeflow and any subsequent return to a decreased flow by correspondingoperator displacement.
 2. A valving arrangement as described in claim 1wherein: said ports open through adjacent valve seat areas in a valvingchamber as the beginning of the mixed flow path, said valving meansincluding a valving member having a surface shiftable from and towardboth said ports simultaneously and providing an increase in the flow asthe member moves away from said ports, said valve member on the sideopposite the port sealing face having a stem extending longitudinally ofsaid chamber and through a guide aperture in a valving chambeR end wall,the said stem longitudinally recessed leaving water flow space from oneside to the other of said end wall at said aperture as a water outletfrom the valving chamber, said operator means including a slide memberbearing against the projecting end of said stem mediately through anelastomeric diaphragm portion engaged therebetween, said diaphragmhaving an integral annular formation facing said end wall radiallyspaced from said stem and adapted to make sealing contact with the outerwall face when the valve member, slide member and valve actuator are infull closed position. a narrow shallow groove running in said outer faceradially outwardly from said aperture beyond said annular formationthereby to afford said restriction in the mixed flow path, saidformation and elastomeric diaphragm portion structured to maintain saidsealing contact restricting the mixed flow path to the area of saidgroove through an initial slight valve opening movement of said slidemember away from the wall face to permit a slight simultaneous initialopening of both said ports with flow therefrom, and thereafter, with thecontinuing operator slide member opening motion, retracted with the saidslide and valve members away from said wall to remove said flowrestriction.
 3. A mixing type water valve for controlled volume deliveryselectively of hot water and cold water at respective supplytemperatures and mixed water at at least one pre-set intermediatetemperature, comprising: a hollow casing including an open-topped hollowbody having a cavity with a discharge and a cover member secured to andclosing the body top, said body having cold and hot watersupply-connected passages opening into the body cavity as a cavitylongitudinal inlet face respectively through at least two lateral coldinlets and through at least two lateral hot water inlets, said inletsdisposed with a first hot inlet and a first cold inlet as paired inletsclosely associated in opening through the inlet face for a double portedarea of a mixed flow intermediate temperature valve section, a secondhot inlet and a second cold inlet opening through the inlet face atlocations longitudinally spaced from each other and from the pair inletlocation for single ported areas of respective hot and cold valvesections, said lateral inlet face and an associated shoulder forming aseat in the cavity; said top providing operator support means extendinginto the body cavity; cage block means having, opening in onelongitudinal block face, a recess aligned with the double ported areaand recesses aligned respectively with said single ported areas formingrespective valving chambers gasketed to the said areas and having outletopenings in the opposite longitudinal block face, an axially moveablevalving member in each chamber having a stem projecting from therespective outlet and having a face shiftable toward and away from therespective port area in valving section closing and opening action, saidcage and with the valving members therein forming a sub-assembly; anelastic resilient fluid-impervious diaphragm member surrounding saidsupport means within and sealed to the body to define fluid flow spacewithin the cavity between said outlets of the cage and said dischargeand to seal said support means off from water in the valve; said cageand said support means having cooperating surfaces engageable mediatelythrough said diaphragm member to secure said cage sub-assembly in saidseat upon securement of said top to the body; respective valve operatingmeans controlling the valving members for controlled delivery of hotwater, for controlled delivery of cold water, and for controlleddelivery of mixed hot and cold water as intermediate temperature water,from respective valving sections, each said valve operating meansincluding a slide movable in a slideway aperture in said support meansin one direction to communicate motion and force through said diAphragmto the stem of the respective moveable valve member to move the lattertoward and hold it in valve closed position against fluid pressure atthe respective port area and moveable in the opposite direction forvalve opening.
 4. A valve as described in claim 3, wherein: each saidrecess has a shouldered mouth at said one block face, and the cagesub-assembly includes respective shoulder-supported hard disk elementswithin the mouths and apertured for the respective inlets each as aported chamber end wall surface-finished highly flat and smooth, andeach said moveable valving member is provided with a face element ofhard material disposed toward the respective said disk andsurface-finished highly flat and smooth.
 5. A valve as described inclaim 4, wherein: said elements are comprised of a hard ceramicmaterial.
 6. A valve as described in claim 3, wherein: said support isintegrally formed on, and depends into the body cavity from theinnerside of, said cover member; said support having for said slidesrespective said slideways opening through one side toward and inalignment with respective valving member stems, and bores intersectingthe respective slideways and opening through the cover, and receivingrespective pistons cammingly cooperatively engaging the slides; saiddiaphragm member comprising an elastomeric member having a hollow bodyportion surrounding the depending said support and having a peripherallycontinous laterally flanged portion sealingly engaged between the coverand the casing body; each said piston member moveable in its bore forcamming the respective slide outwardly against the diaphragm thereby tomove the respective valving member toward closed position.
 7. A valve asdescribed in claim 3, wherein: said passages, at locations immediatelybefore said paired inlets, are intersected by a plug-receiving bore, anda plug in the latter bore to form flow throttling intermediatetemperature regulating adjustable valve means, said plug having formedtherein vaned portions simultaneous changing in opposite senses theeffective flow areas to the paired inlets upon plug rotationaladjustment.
 8. A valve as described in claim 3, wherein: said diaphragmmember includes a respective integrally thickened external pad regionbetween each slide and the stem of the opposed valving member.
 9. Avalve as described in claim 8, wherein: the pad at the mixing section ofthe valve bears an integral ring formation concentrically spaced fromthe stem of the respective valve member and, when the valving member isin closed position, making a sealing contact with the adjacent secondsaid block face around a respective cage chamber outlet aperture servingalso as a guide for the last said stem, a shallow narrow slot in thesecond said block face running from said outlet out under and beyond thering formation permitting a slight flow during said sealing contact, andsaid ring formation maintaining said contact upon initial valving memberopening for a slight mixed flow.